This invention relates generally to an accordion and, more particularly, to the arrangement of the reeds within the end boxes of the accordion and the keyboard for controlling the reeds.
Conventional accordions have a pair of end boxes which are joined together by a flexible bellows. By moving the end boxes together or apart, air is forced past reeds within the end boxes or bellows such that the reeds vibrate to produce a selected tone. A keyboard is associated with each end box and has keys or buttons which may be depressed to operate valves within the end box to control the flow of air past selected reeds. Specifically, the right-hand end box has a treble keyboard similar to that of a piano in which each key, when depressed, causes a single note to be played. The left-hand end box has a bass keyboard having a plurality of buttons each of which, when depressed, causes a chord to be played.
The conventional configuration of keyboards severely limits the type of music which can be played, since the octave range for the right hand is limited and since the left hand must play chords rather than single notes. Classical music, for example, is written for a single instrument and sometimes for a pair of pianos. Hence, this music cannot be played without substantial modification and even then the music will lose its original character.
Free bass accordions have been constructed in which the buttons of the bass keyboard control only single tones so that by manipulation of the buttons, scales may be played and desired chords and chord positions may be composed. These free bass accordions employ an extensive number of switches to couple or uncouple octaves for one given key or button in order to produce a larger range of musical sounds. However, some difficulty may be encountered when the switches are operated, especially if a musical composition has a very rapid sequence of significantly different notes.
Further, conventional accordions and free bass accordions have keyboards which are located on the front of the end box. As a result, the thumb of the left hand cannot be used equally with the other fingers of the left hand except on an occasional trick fingering on diminished chords. Accordionists must rely entirely on the four fingers of the left hand without bringing in the thumb for greater execution of the musical composition.
In addition, free bass accordions, which have keys which operate in a manner to produce a single tone or note, duplicate keys so that more than one key or button produces the same tone or note.